As the Park Fire devastates hundreds of thousands of acres across Northern California, a Cohasset resident has gotten creative to protect his family’s 100-year-old ranch house. Using a nearby pond as a water source, Ron Ward set up a homemade sprinkler defense system to hydrate and cool the forest surrounding his ranch, which was settled by his wife’s great-grandfather in 1905.
Ward recalls that the pump at the center of the system arrived just in time to protect their property. The fire came within 70 feet of the ranch house before his sprinkler system successfully stopped it. He says the fire hit the sprinklers, died down, and went around the property, sparing all the structures.
The Park Fire is the largest wildfire in California this year and the fifth largest in the state’s history. It has consumed over 575 square miles of forest land and over 100 buildings, threatening thousands more. While many of Ward’s neighbors are questioning whether living in the area is still viable, he remains committed to protecting his family’s historical homestead.
Source: NEWSWEEK